VINDICATOR STAFF REPORT

VINDICATOR STAFF REPORT
YOUNGSTOWN -- Extradition of Martin L. Koliser Jr. from Florida to face charges that he killed a city police officer should be quick and easy.
Koliser had waived his extradition rights as a condition of his parole from prison on Dec. 12, 2002, according to an Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction document.
"We hope the judge in Florida honors the waiver agreement Koliser signed with the Adult Parole Authority," Lt. Rod Foley, Youngstown Police Department spokesman, said today.
"If not, we'll send two detectives to Florida to testify at the extradition hearing."
Foley said Koliser, 31, whose last known address was an apartment on Shields Road in Boardman, could be back in town early next week. He will be brought here by U.S. marshals.
Koliser is charged with aggravated murder in the execution-style killing of city patrolman Michael T. Hartzell, 26, at 2:19 a.m. Tuesday. Koliser is also charged with the attempted murder of Donell Rowe, 23, of Salt Springs Road.
SWAT team membersconverge on motel
Foley said Koliser surrendered to more than 50 SWAT team members at a Knight's Inn in Palm Harbor, just west of Tampa, at 10:10 p.m. Wednesday. The SWAT team included agents with the Tampa FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Pinellas County Sheriff's Department.
Police called Koliser's room from a lobby phone, announced why they were there, and told him to look out the window.
Parked in front of his room was an armored carrier called "The Peacemaker," Foley said. "He came out 30 seconds later with his hands up, very demure."
Foley said the capture of Koliser means the police department can "take a deep breath and start the process of mourning."
Aggravated murder is punishable by death in Ohio.
Koliser was scheduled for a video advisory hearing at 1:30 p.m. today at which he was to be advised of his rights and the charges on which he is being held, Sgt. Greg Tita of the Pinellas County Sheriff's office said.
Tita said the sheriff's office started tracking Koliser early Wednesday evening. An unidentified witness worked with the sheriff's office and persuaded Koliser to stay in his room on Highway 19 until a SWAT team could arrive, Tita said.
Koliser was unaware that the SWAT team was on its way and was alone in the hotel room when police arrived. A hostage negotiator was called to encourage Koliser to surrender.
Law enforcement officials did not find any guns in the hotel room or in the black 1990 Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais that Koliser is believed to have driven to Florida. The car, which is owned by a Poland woman, was reported stolen from Youngstown Tuesday morning.
Suspect got a ridenear shooting scene
A police report filed at noon Tuesday states that a Poland man who is an acquaintance of Koliser's, driving his girlfriend's black Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais, picked up Koliser at about 8:30 a.m. Tuesday at the WRTA bus station in downtown Youngstown.
That was about when police identified Koliser as the prime suspect in the shooting death of Hartzell. Koliser later stole the car while the Poland man paid for gas at a gas station at Belle Vista and Mahoning avenues, police said.
City police said they had no idea Koliser was waiting downtown, about a block from where Hartzell was shot. They are still investigating that report.
Police say Koliser shot and killed Hartzell in front of the old Master's Uniform shop on Federal Plaza West.
Koliser is accused of shooting Rowe in the chest at about midnight outside of the Casaloma Gardens bar on Mahoning Avenue. Rowe remained in serious condition today in St. Elizabeth Health Center.
Florida man told copsabout Koliser's calls
Police said Koliser started making telephone calls to an acquaintance in Florida shortly after the shooting Tuesday morning. The acquaintance became the catalyst that allowed Florida law enforcement officials and the FBI to apprehend Koliser.
Tita said tips from Kentucky and points south started coming in to them 24 hours before Koliser's arrest.
Koliser was making phone calls to a Florida resident, saying he was in some sort of trouble and needed a place to hide. Tita said the Floridian was a male acquaintance that Koliser had met in Ohio, possibly at a wedding reception.
The Florida man became suspicious, went on the Internet and found out what was going on, and called the FBI and the Pinellas County Sheriff's Department.
"Once we knew Koliser was in the Tampa area, the FBI, with the help of the witness, maneuvered Koliser into the Knight's Inn," Tita said.
The FBI coordinated the effort to keep Koliser out of a residential neighborhood and get him registered at the Knight's Inn, where it was easier to control the situation, Tita said.
Koliser was put in a room in an isolated area of Knight's Inn so no one would be in danger, Tita said.
"Our witness made an excuse to leave the motel, saying he had to walk his dog," Tita said.
That's when the Pinellas Sheriff Department's SWAT team, FBI and Florida Department of Law Enforcement officials contacted Koliser in his room. At about 8 p.m., Koliser was persuaded to surrender, Tita said.
Koliser was arrested and placed in the Pinellas County Jail.
Police dispatcherrelays news of capture
The report that Koliser had been arrested came over the local police scanner at about 10:15 p.m.
"God bless you, Mike, we miss you," the dispatcher said, his voice breaking with emotion. "I know you can hear me."
On the street in front of the Youngstown Police Department, officers wrapped their arms around one another and cried.
Choking back tears, one announced that the next duty is to help Hartzell's family cope with his loss and get through the funeral.
"It's a relief, but it hurts," said Patrolman Chris Bonacci, a good friend of Hartzell's and, like the fallen officer, a 21/2 -year member of the Youngstown police force. "We worked together on the North Side every night."
"It's a tremendous relief," said Michael Cox, a 41/2 -year YPD officer.
Cox was in the investigation command center inside the Amedia Plaza building when the call came that Koliser had been apprehended. The command center is across from the police station.
"The whole room was cheering, hugging and kissing," he said. Many off-duty officers had been milling around the command center and police station waiting for word, he said.
Cox said local officers learned that law enforcement officials in Florida believed they were close to apprehending Koliser about an hour before his arrest.
Police chief says thanksfor help with investigation
Hartzell's family and his fianc & eacute;e, Stephanie Harcar, who is a Mahoning County deputy sheriff, were notified of Koliser's arrest at about 10:15 p.m. by Police Chief Bob Bush.
Hartzell's family later stood in the back of the room hugging tearful officers at a press conference held by local law enforcement officials after Koliser was arrested.
During the press conference, Bush thanked local law enforcement agencies for their help in the investigation.
"It's amazing the teamwork we had," Cox said. "Everybody got together. We had to cope [with our loss], but it was refreshing to see how we all worked together. It could have happened to any one of us."
Hartzell was shot to death while sitting in his cruiser. Police said he had been on his way to the police station to drop off reports about the Casaloma Gardens shooting. Police believe the officer stopped to run the license plate number on a Lincoln Town Car linked to the shooting.
Police theorize Koliser got out of the Lincoln so quickly that Hartzell was unable to react.
Law enforcement officials from throughout the Mahoning and Shenango valleys began a frenzied manhunt for Koliser a short time later.
A grand jury will decide if Koliser should face the death penalty if convicted, Mahoning County Prosecutor Paul Gains and City Prosecutor Dionne Almasy said.
Woman tells reportersshe received death threats
Just before Wednesday night's press conference, a woman stormed into the YMHA building and said she had received death threats from people accusing her of helping Koliser flee.
The woman said a member of her family and Koliser had been cell mates. Koliser has served at least two prison sentences.
The woman stressed that she had worked with police to apprehend Koliser. Police rushed her away from reporters before she could give more information.
Bush said he had never seen the woman.
XCONTRIBUTORS: Vindicator staff writers William Alcorn, Ian Hill, Maraline Kubik and Patricia Meade.